Nigeria’s internet penetration rose slightly to 48.15% in April 2025, according to the latest data from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). This figure marks a modest increase from 47.73% in March. Yet, behind the rise lies a more troubling trend: data consumption is steadily falling, with April recording a dip to 983,283.43 terabytes from 995,876.10 terabytes in the previous month.
This marks the second straight month of decline following a sharp drop from January’s peak of one million terabytes. February saw the steepest fall to 893,054.80 terabytes, with nearly one million users going offline. Although March brought some relief—data usage rose by 11.5% and subscribers climbed to 142.05 million—the latest figures show a reversal, with active subscriptions falling to 141.99 million in April.
Nigeria’s long-term broadband ambition appears to be losing steam. The National Broadband Plan (2020–2025) had targeted a 70% penetration rate by the end of this year. However, stakeholders now admit the country is unlikely to hit this mark.
“We’re still a long way from achieving our 70 per cent penetration target,” one stakeholder said. The slow pace is blamed on multiple barriers, including high infrastructure costs and bureaucratic delays in securing right-of-way access. Only a handful of states currently waive these fees, stalling network expansion efforts.
Market Instability Compounds Digital Challenges
Despite Nigerians’ growing reliance on the internet for education, commerce, and daily communication, affordability remains a persistent issue. Many consumers are cutting back on data due to economic pressure and rising tariffs.
The drop in data usage, industry experts warn, could jeopardise the future of Nigeria’s digital economy. Without solutions to improve affordability and accessibility, internet adoption could plateau below the halfway mark—a concerning sign for a country with one of Africa’s largest online populations.
Another striking trend is the sudden spike in subscriber porting. In April alone, 6,789 users switched mobile networks, a 121% jump from the 3,064 recorded in March. MTN led the switch with 3,960 new users, followed by Airtel and Globacom with 1,860 and 966 respectively. 9mobile trailed far behind, gaining just three new subscribers.
Meanwhile, the NCC recorded 208,482 active data users across licensed providers.
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